Handmade pedal cages

Has anyone with too much time on their hands and the inability to sit still attempted to make their own pedal cages? I have a few sets of cages (one metal, way too small for me and the rest plastic that fit me but are way UGLY) sitting around. I've been looking at them and a light (a little dim) went on in my head, make my own out of stainless steel sheet metal. I don't think it would be too difficult w/ some patience and a few simple forms made out of wood. When/ if I get around to this I will post some pictures. If anyone has tried this, lets hear about it!

My response would have been something along the lines of: "Does your bike have computer controlled suspension? Then shut your piehole, this baby is from the future!"

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Originally Posted by Grand Bois

I'm lost.

your in the bikeforums C and V section. ;0)

You see, their morals, their code...it's a bad joke, dropped at the first sign of trouble. They're only as good as the world allows them to be. I'll show you. When the chips are down, these...These "civilized" people...they'll eat each other. See, I'm not a monster. I'm just ahead of the curve

Celebrity visiting old folk's home to resident - "Do you know who I am?"
Resident, "No, but you go and ask Matron dear, she'll help you back to your room."

Sorry, meandered a bit there - Pedal cages, that's it. How about some plain 3 or 4 mm thick 20mm wide aluminium bar? Drill holes for mounting to the axle frame, toe clip holes if you use them - then file teeth in the top of the front and back plates with a saw sharpening file, drill and cut patterns to your hearts content, polish them and bolt them on? Never even thought of trying it, but if I could get the right metal? Anyone done this?

Oldpeddaller - The older I get, the better I used to be !!!" ***** If at first you don't succeed - hit it with a hammer.

OK, are we discussing toe clips? Or pedal plates? Sounds like toe clips in the OP's post.
If one's handy, I'm sure it could be done...especially for unobtainable models like the Shimano platform pedal clips.
Those in stainless steel would be wonderful.

“You meet the nicest people on two wheels!"
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow." ~Albert Einstein

The only thing I have to offer to the OP, being some one who works with his hands is, if you have a vision then go for it! I work in wood, can't imagine the difficulties of metal but obviously you are not afraid to take it on, so do it!

This is what I have in mind. I may have used the wrong word to describe what I had in mind.... I had Shimano 600 clips in mind when I thought of this but, they would also be nice to add to my Gippemme pedals toohttp://www.yellowjersey.org/toeclips.jpg

This is what I have in mind. I may have used the wrong word to describe what I had in mind.... I had Shimano 600 clips in mind when I thought of this but, they would also be nice to add to my Gippemme pedals toohttp://www.yellowjersey.org/toeclips.jpg

Well in that case, I'm going to go back to my earlier assertion that you need spring steel. Other metals will fatigue too quickly. I don't know if there's such a thing as stainless spring steel, or how you'd work it.

I trust someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe spring steel results from heat treatment done after the metal is formed into its final shape. Basically, you take the right kind of steel, bend it to the shape you want it to have, and then you apply the heat treatment. It's not rocket science, but you have to know what you're doing.

rhm......Bingo......If you want to use stainless wire I say go for it. They may not last for 50 years but without abuse I bet they would last at least 10 years. I bet some old stainless spokes would work great. I think it is a great idea. I may give it a whiz myself when it cools off a little. 104 here today.

Celebrity visiting old folk's home to resident - "Do you know who I am?"
Resident, "No, but you go and ask Matron dear, she'll help you back to your room."

Sorry, meandered a bit there - Pedal cages, that's it. How about some plain 3 or 4 mm thick 20mm wide aluminium bar? Drill holes for mounting to the axle frame, toe clip holes if you use them - then file teeth in the top of the front and back plates with a saw sharpening file, drill and cut patterns to your hearts content, polish them and bolt them on? Never even thought of trying it, but if I could get the right metal? Anyone done this?

Oh, toeclips, not pedal cages.

Much easier I would have thought, but they are cheap enough to buy NOS & fully chromed. If you want to make wire ones, Google pictures of the old "GB" models of the 1950's. They seem very simple and effective (and being made of round section wire, they don't cut into leather shoes).

Oldpeddaller - The older I get, the better I used to be !!!" ***** If at first you don't succeed - hit it with a hammer.